What to do while your book is on submission to agents
Usually I’m advising authors on what to do while their book is on submission to editors. But for this post I wanted to direct it outward for the side I don’t see. Some of this advice is similar to what I recommend for writers on submission to editors, and some is more specific.
I’ve written before about ‘what agents are doing in between requesting the manuscript and responding yay or nay’ here:
Why agents reject requested manuscripts
I find it fascinating to read any and all “how I got my agent” posts. Everyone has a specific journey to connecting with their agent. But there’s a moment that nearly every writer experiences: the euphoria of agents requesting the full manuscript, the anxious wait for responses, the letdown when some of those agents respond with rejections.
And I’ve written about how to write a query letter:
How to write a query email
Ok so you have written a novel, or a memoir, or a proposal for a nonfiction book. That’s great, it’s hard to do, I’m proud of you. I earnestly believe that writing is a valuable art and practice for its own sake. There is value in accomplishing this goal. But you’re reading this because you want your book traditionally published, presumably, with the help of an agent.
So for those writers on submission to agents, here is what I recommend you do besides worry and hope: